I received this message today in an email. . . . .
"Hi William
My name is Becky Zmarzly, and I'm an
Austin Browncoat working on the
global side of the 2008 CSTS events. We're working on getting a full
list
of the participating cities for this year's screeings, and I saw
you had posted a message in January regarding CSTS
(even though you
didn't necessarily call it that in your post).
I wanted to know if your group is still planning
on holding an event
in June. We're excited to get as many cities on board as possible,
especially cities
that have held events in the past. If you are still
planning to participate, please let me know so we can add your
info to
the CSTS webpage. If you've run into any difficulties, also let me
know so we can try to get you
pumped up. :)
If you haven't done so, check out the website at
www.cantstoptheserenity.com. You should also look at the forums on
the site, as there is a lot of good information for organizers.
Thanks,
and I hope you get your event going in June! Keep flyin'!
Becky Zmarzly
Browncoat Ball 2008
Registration/Transportation
Co-Coordinator
www.browncoatball.com
Can't Stop The Serenity 2008
www.cantstoptheserenity.com"
This message is sorta a kick in the pants, if you will. I mean I
had a point person who was helping me
coordinate this event in
Nashville, but because of busy schedules, we lost contact. I've had
a couple of people
say they would help, but again, becuase of my
failure to follow up. . . .nothing happened.
So here we are. . ..
three months from the intented date of CSTS-
Nashville and next to nothing has happened, because I failed to
take
"The Wash" position and fly this puppy to victory.
Well, that failure ends here!!!
I'm looking for
a crew to help make this dream a reality. . .
So what do you say? - - - - - DO YOU aim to misbehave . . . . on
the
big screen in Nashville Tennessee?
Before we continue, a brief commericial interruption to answer some
questions.
. . .
1.) Why this time of year? The reason for the date is that is Joss
Whedon's (the creator of Firefly
and Serenity) birthday, and it is
the World Wide date of the event, so cities, states, and countries
will all
be doing the same screening at the same time. (More
details with Question 3)
2.)Why this movie? Well, if
you're unfamilar with "Serenity", it is
often credited as "the movie that shouldn't have been".
I mean it's
based on a show that lasted a mere one season, accrued less than 5
million viewers a week, and
didn't even beep on most people's radar
until after it was cancelled. But after it was cancelled, it
created
such a whirlwird, and found a following that rivals most
sci-fi shows that were on for six or seven seasons or longer.
It
created such a stir, that Joss Whedon wrote "Serenity" as the next
chapter in the Firefly universe
and along with the fans, demanded
that the movie be made. "Serenity" is one of the first movies ever,
TO BE CREATED FOR THE FANS BY THE FANS. To this day, Firefly is
listed in TV GUide's top 25 Cult Favorite TV Shows!!!
3.
What is Equality Now? Equality Now works to end violence and
discrimination against women and girls around the world
through the
mobilization of public pressure. During the last week of June 2006,
Joss Whedon's fans, the Browncoats,
organized 47 screenings of his
film "Serenity" in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United
Kingdom
and the United States. The screenings were held to benefit
Equality Now and celebrate Joss' birthday. Earnings totaling
over
$60,000 have been reported. In 2007, events are scheduled in 51
cities in nine countries. Equality Now is
extremely grateful for
the support of the Browncoats and inspired by the tremendous energy
and commitment they
have put into their efforts to support our work
to end human rights abuses against women and girls around the
world.
For more info, visit www.equalitynow.org
And now back to the infomercial. . . . .
So, what is needed for this event, you ask? Well, BROWNCOATS UNITE!!!
I'm looking for individuals with contacts, or who want to make
contacts, who are self movitated (or movitated
by the movement)
because, believe me when I say I am so not a micro-manager. You
will become the backbone of the
Tennessee Browncoats participation
in CSTS World Wide, and I might be wrong, but I think this is the
first time
Nashville will have been involved in this event. I wanna
make the first one as glorious as possible. So, for more details,
contact me, William Prater @ williamprater@praterproductions.org or
call me at 615.260.9659 I hope to hear from you all. . . .
Like a leaf on the wind . . . will prater
The Know Now stated the Ron Morris Concert was on the 18th, it is actually on Wednesday the
19th, it takes the
place of Penny Pieces for that evening!! Sorry for the confusion!
There are always lots of things going on in Nashville, and these are but a few of the events Prater Productions
is supporting. So if you have an event you’re part of send it our way, and we’ll see what we can do to support
you.
"In the following pages you'll find: Auditions, Book Clubs, Groups, Music, Poetry,
Places, Planning,. Theater, Vigils, Opportunities to Volunteer, and Workshops, all things going on in March to keep
your artistic taste buds happy. Hope to see you at an event or five". ---William Prater, Prater Productions
Auditions
CHEATHAM COUNTY COMMUNITY THEATER
Category: Auditions
Date(s): thru 03/30/2008
Summary: holds auditions for Butterflies Are Free, 11 am-4 pm March
29 & 2-5
pm March 30 in the Jean Downey Theatre. For information,
call 485-1421.. (HARPETH HIGH SCHOOL)
Location(s): 170
W. Kingston Spring Rd., Kingston Springs
THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS
Category: Auditions
Date(s): thru 03/22/2008
Summary: will hold tryouts for national anthem singers, 9 am-3 pm
March 22. Tryouts are on a first-come, first-served
basis. All
parties will be required to sing a live, acapella version of the
national anthem. For more information,
call entertainment manager
Buddy Yelton at 977-9304. (GREER STADIUM)
Location(s): 534 Chesnut St.
Book Clubs OutLoud Book Club The books for the
coming months:
March 16 - Dream Boy, by Jim Grimsley
April 20 - Running with Scissors, by Augusten Burroughs
May 18 - Call Me by Your Name, by Andre Aciman
June 15 - The Coming Storm, by Paul Russell
For more info contact,
Larry Romans at
larry.romans@vanderbilt.edu Groups
PG-13 Players - A group to support younger actors and actresses. For more Info, contact kaycem@ppmet.org
Music Strange Bedfellows
Another "God In Music City" event is coming up
this Thursday called Strange Bedfellows, a night of performances and interviews with openly gay Christian singers in Nashville.
It's Thursday night, March 13 at 7:00 p.m. in The Basement - 1604 8th Ave. South - and it's free. Check out their
website - www.godinmusiccity.org - for more info on this event as well as the semester-long God In Music City series.
Prater Productions and Bearapalooza Present Ron Morris @ March
19th, 2008 @ Out Loud.
Known for his intimate storytelling and infectious melodies, Ron Morris creates music
that speaks to the heart. Spinning his unique brand of folk/pop, Ron’s characteristically unique voice and catchy hooks
take his audience on a journey that lifts the spirit and touches the soul.For more info go to http://www.ronmorrismusic.com
Places
Somebody Scream . . . . Out Loud!
OutLoud is
quickly becoming the Place To Be Artistically! With weekly packed concerts, open mics, and movie nights, there's always
something entertaining going on. Whether you want to meet an old friend for coffee, and play a board game with new friends,
Out Loud is the place to be. For more Info about the care visist www.outloudonline.com or if you wanna plan an event contact
Daniel Kent at 615.977.7281.
Planning
TLP . . . . . Already Planning
Ahead!
The Laramie Project - Tennessee Tour 2008 Planning Committee is already forming. In the last three years,
PraterProductions has raised 2,400 dollars, performed in 18 venues, and encouraged and enlightened the Nashville society with
the story of Matthew Shepard. This year marks the 10th anniversary of this man's death and how it woke up the country,
and the world. This year's tour is Nashville centered but hopes to reach out to fellow counties. Our hope is for this
year is to raise 2,500 dollars, so there's a lot of work ahead. If you want to join the team, let us know. Send an email
or call 615.260.9659.
Serenity
My name is Will, and I'm the new moderator
on Tennessee Browncoats. Let me start by saying I'm a huge fan of Whedon, all Whedon, all the time, and I have worked
to get as many of my friends (and my partner) as addicted as I am. I fell in love with Buffy first, and then Angel, I took
another year or so for me to have the courage to try Firefly. If I could dedicate my life to one writer, it would be Joss.
Every character he creates is so full from the beginning, and he picks the most brilliant actors to bring them to life. Firefly
stands alone in the calvary, because Buffy and Angel and Xmen are fiction. Firefly is reality. . . I quote Nathan's line
all the time, "Might have been on the losing side, still not convinced it was the wrong one." When one looks at
the political
process in America, we can see the possibility of Firefly, or at least I can. This show goes down as one
of the two shows I desperately want to see revived (the other being My So-Called Life).
Think of it this way. . . .
if we're gonna be stuck in the middle of space (aka cyberspace) together anyway, we might as well get to know each other
now. If your interested in getting to know me and/ or my group, join us at http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/tennesseebrowncoats/
****Prater Productions is working with this group, as well as many others to coordinate Can't Stop the
Serenity, a BrownCoat event that also serves as a fundraiser for Equality Now****
Poetry
The New and Improved Penny Pieces. . . .
A beautiful mix of planned thought, rants, poetry,
prose, improv, challenges, and art in every form flowing from the mouth into the ears of the open, because everything is worth
something. And my, how we're growing. . .
**** Culture Corner****
The Culture Corner, every week we will be
giving away scripts, movies, music and more. Things that enlighten, broaden, or just entertain our minds. You never know what
you'll find in Culture Corner.( But this week . . . there will be some dvds, some scripts for upcoming reads, and some
wonderful cds.)
**** Black Box Presents ****
A warm reading of original scripts, all short, quick, and to the
point. Actors and Actresses show up at 6pm, and show their stuff. The directors gather the cast, and off with the show. The
best experience is more experience, and this is an easy way to gain experience. THE NEXT TIME . . . . March 24th
Do you have original work you want read? Here's your opportunity! Submit it today, because we'll be reading new
scripts every two weeks.
PENNY PIECES, EVERY WEDNESDAY, 8 PM to 10 PM, CAFE AT OUTLOUD.
1707 Church Street
Nashville, TN 37203 www.myspace.com/outloudnashville
Theater
The Full
Monty
Showing March 14-30, 2008
Fridays and Saturdays @ 8pm, Sundays @ 2pm
Gordon Jewish Community
Center auditorium
801 Percy Warner Boulevard, Nashville, TN
Tickets: $14.00 for adults, &10.00 for students
and seniors
Seeing how much their wives enjoy watching male strippers during their "Girls Night Out,"
unemployed steelworkers in Buffalo, NY come up with a bold way to make some quick cash.In the process, they find renewed self-esteem,
the importance of freindship, and the ability to have fun.
**Please note this show is rated "R." No children
under 18 allowed in without a parent or guardian
***SPECIAL:On Saturday, March 22, the JCC will be providing FREE childcare
for children ages 5-10 during the show. Hours are 7:30pm to 10:30pm. For more information, please visit www.nashvillejcc.org/children
I Am My Own Wife
Belmont University's Black Box Theater in the Troutt Theater
Complex, 2100 Belmont Blvd.
March 19-29. Performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. A talkback session will follow
the March 27 show.
$20; $15 seniors ages 65 and older and students in advance through www.greenroomprojects.org. Admission
is $25 at the door. Wednesday night performances are "pay-what-you-can."
I am My Own Wife is not specifically
a "gay" play. The Tony- and Pulitzer Award-winning piece tells the true story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, an outspoken
German-born transvestite who survived the Nazi and Communist regimes of East Berlin. The work's universal appeal is one
of pain, determination, preservation and hope. Von Mahlsdorf, born Lothar Berfelde, was the son of a Nazi leader — a
leader that von Mahlsdorf killed after a woeful family fight. The act landed her in a psychiatric ward, and she was released
with the fall of the Third Reich. After that, she found her place as a second-hand goods dealer, collecting historical items
from nightclubs and cabarets, eventually creating a museum that was iconic to Berlin's gay scene. Later years would find
her receiving a German medal of honor — but also raising suspicion that she was a longtime informant for the secret
police.
For more Info: www.greenroomprojects.org; www.iammyownwife.com
Lady
Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill
TSU's Performing Arts Center Cox/Lewis Theater.
Thursday,
March 28, 2008 through April 6th.
Curtain Times on Thursday's through Saturday's are at 7:30PM
with Sunday's Curtain Time at 3PM.
$10 for the general public; $7 for TSU Faculty & Staff and $4 for students
with I.D.
The time is 1959. The place is Emerson's Bar & Grill. The audience is about to witness one of
Billie Holiday's last performances, given four months before her death. More than a dozen musical numbers are interlaced
with salty, often humorous, reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of the lady and her music. Director Lawrence James
says, "In this production, we get a journey through Billie's life through her music and poignant poetic storytelling.
In the midst of a turbulent and demanding life, singing and her music was the salvation of Billie Holiday. Her music is a
celebration of her life."
For tickets and information call 615- 963-5809. For group rates (15 persons or more)
or discounts call 615-963-2535.
***Please note that this production includes adult themes and language.
Mame
Nashville Dinner Theater
April 11 - 27
The wild, adventurous
spirit of Auntie Mame is infectious in this TONY award winning musical. Set in the glory days of the 1920s, Mame becomes the
guardian of her ten-year-old nephew, Patrick. With such memorable songs as "Mame," "If He Walked Into My Life,"
"We Need A Little Christmas" and "Bosom Buddies," this heart-warming musical comedy will be a great evening
for the entire family. There is also a special Easter Sunday Brunch (27th) for an additional $8. For more information, visit
www.nashvillestages.com
Coriolanus
Shakespeare in the Park 2008
For
the 21st annual FREE Shakespeare in the Park, The Nashville Shakespeare Festival will produce CORIOLANUS, directed by Mark
Cabus. Shakespeare's play about a Roman war hero who runs for political office and finds himself in the center of a brutal
power struggle should prove timely amidst the 2008 election cycle. And of course, there will be plenty of action and excitement! For
more Info contact The Nashville Shakespeare Festival at thebard@nashvilleshakes.org
VIGILS
VIGIL FOR LAWRENCE KING
The Support Student Safety coalition, along with the
Hume-Fogg GSA and Kazana Scholarship Fund are planning a vigil at OutLoud! Department Store for Wednesday, March 12 from 6
to 8 pm. OutLoud! is located at 1703 Church Street in Nashville.
The vigil will honor the memory of Lawrence "Larry"
King, a junior high school student from Oxnard, CA who was shot at school last month. Authorities are prosecuting his murder
as a hate crime, as Larry was perceived to be gay and gender non-conforming. Larry, the 15-year-old 8th grader, was shot at
E.O. Green Junior High School on Tuesday, February 12th, and was taken off life support three days later. Friends have reported
that Larry had been bullied and harassed by classmates, including the fellow student charged with his murder.
The vigil
will be followed by the short film, "Let's Get Real," by Ground Spark Films. The film examines issues that lead
to taunting
and bullying, including racial differences, perceived sexual orientation, learning disabilities, religious
differences, sexual harassment and others.
Please join us in honoring Larry and other students who have been targeted
because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Volunteers
Out CentralOut Central, our community Center has 180 sheets of drywall to hang in the next
10 days, and any help would be appreciated. You do not have to have any drywall experience, just a couple hours and the desire
for OutCentral to open as soon as possible.
Could you help one night this week for a couple of hours? They are
going to be open Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. in order to hang drywall. They will also be working on Saturday
(9 a.m. - 2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.).
All help will be welcomed and appreciated. For more Info, contact
Jim Hawk Executive Director, OutCentral, Inc. at 615.294.4834 or email at
jim@outcentral.org Workshops/ Classes
Shakespeare
in Action Workshops
Shakespeare in Action Workshops Available for the Classroom
or Boardroom. All year round, The Nashville Shakespeare Festival's teaching artists visit classrooms to enhance the teaching
of Shakespeare’s works with participatory exercises designed to put the keys to unlocking the richness of great dramatic
literature into the hands of students. These workshops are customized to meet the individual needs and goals of each teacher
and classroom. Shakespeare in Action workshops are also available to adult groups, offering exercises in creative thinking
and problem solving, while empowering the participants to use Shakespeare’s language and all language for more effective
communication. For more Info, contact Nashville Shakespeare Festival at
thebard@nashvilleshakes.org 